Recent Genetic Tools for the Management of Stored Product Pests

AbstractIt’s a challenge to manage insects in the storage conditions due to the development of certain level of resistance or resurgence to the chemicals already used in the field to control the pest population. Fumigation is generally deployed to manage pests under stored conditions. But due to development of insecticide resistance, this method is not suitable. The potential of RNAi (RNA interference) as a method of controlling pests under stored conditions is being explored. Tribolium astenenum showed a strong response via injection of double-stranded RNA at any life stage. CRISPR (Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) technology has been advanced as a potential resource for management of pests under stored conditions. Since three decades, phosphine resistance has increased in frequency, distribution, and strength in several species of stored product pests. There is a limited understanding on phosphine resistance, and efforts are required to develop a rational management strategy. The use of transgene from wide hybridization was found effective.KeywordsStorage pest managementModern genetic toolsRNAiWide hybridizationSterile insect techniqueFuture prospects